Automated feeding systems for poultry and like domestic animals are extensively used, particularly for poultry such as chickens and turkeys. These systems supply feed mixtures to large poultry flocks. Such systems deliver regulated amounts and proportions of feed ingredients so as to permit the poultry to be raised from chicks to mature birds, that is, turkeys, breeders, and broilers.
One type of such feeder system provides for an elongated conveyor having spaced openings under each of which is mounted a feeder pan assembly. Each of these pan assemblies receive feed flowing through the conveyor. The entire system is generally suspended from the overhead structure of the poultry house.
In systems of the type above described, there have been various attempts to regulate the level of the feed in the pan for use at various stages of growth of the birds. Such regulation includes restricting the level of the feed in the pan by adjusting the position of a regulating member above the floor of the pan, that is, by raising or lowering it to establish the level of the feed in the pan. Sometimes, it is desirable to flood the pan and other times it is desirable to shut off the flow of the feed to selected pans. All types of mechanisms have been devised in an attempt to obtain such operating modes in a single pan assembly, that is, flooding the pan, restricting the level of the feed in the pan or shutting off the flow of feed to the pan. To my knowledge, no one has devised or developed a pan assembly that has been completely satisfactory, although there has been a long-felt need for such a pan assembly.
Another problem in the present day pan assemblies results from the feed constituency which comprises fine and coarse particles inherently produced in the preparation of the feed. In present day pan assemblies, the bottom of the pan has a centrally located cone provided for the purpose of causing the feed to be deflected outwardly to the outer periphery of the pan. However, coarse particles will generally deflect and migrate outwardly toward the outer periphery of the pan, but the fines tend to accumulate around the centrally located cone where they cake and may possibly mold to adversely effect the ntire feeding system. To my knowledge, no one has solved this problem.
In some prior art devices such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,095, the regulating element for establishing the level of feed in the pan is adjusted by a cable operatively connected to a regulating member by means of ties secured to the cable and the regulating member. The cable is located underneath the feed conveyor and is operated from a central position by an actuator. Thus, the actuator can simultaneously adjust each of the regulating members for each pan assembly. In the same system, an electrified anti-roost cable is mounted above the conveyor to prevent the poultry from roosting on the conveyor. This system is costly because of the additional elements required and the support and installation required for the cable. It is proposed in the German Patent 1,181,482 issued on Nov. 12, 1964, to locate such a cable above the conveyor but in such disclosure, no electrified anti-roost wire is used. This has created the problem of requiring a costly adjustment means for the regulating member in the event an anti-roost wire is used or completely eliminating the anti-roost wire.